By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Months ahead of his death, Kim Dae-jung looked back on his life journey and was confident that he had lived a life for the Korean people, democracy and peace on the peninsula, according to his diaries released by his aides on Friday.
Despite his worsening health, the former President was still worried about North Korean issues and the domestic political situation.
His diary showed Kim was deeply concerned over the worsening inter-Korean relations after North Korea conducted its second nuclear test May 25. The diary entry on May 18 said that he delivered his recommendation on North Korea policy to former President Bill Clinton in Seoul. He chronicled his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. negotiator on North Korea Stephan Bosworth.
Kim's health suddenly worsened after Roh Moo-hyun killed himself on May 24 and North Korea's nuclear test the next day.
"It is regrettable for the North to conduct a nuclear test," he wrote on the same day. "It should not be tolerated. I think North Korea conducted a nuclear test to draw attention from the United States."
Kim said President Obama devoted himself to issues involving Afghanistan, Pakistan and expressed a willingness to improve relations with Iran, Syria and Russia, but excluded North Korea from the countries with which the United States wants to improve relations.
"Looking back on my life, it was just full of ups and downs. But I dedicated my life to promoting democracy in the country, saving the economy and opening the era for inter-Korean reconciliation," the former head of state wrote in his diary dated Jan. 6 this year, his 85th birthday. "There is something to be desired in my life, of course, but I have no repentance of it."
In the two volumes of diaries written between January and June, Kim expressed his love and respect for the life and world, and his wife, Lee Hee-ho.
Approximately 26,000 copies of a collection of selected writings were distributed at hundreds of memorial altars for the late former President nationwide, Kim's spokesman Choi Kyung-hwan, said
About 30 percent of writings Kim made during the January-June period were made public, Choi said, adding that it is up to former first lady Lee whether more writings will be made public or not.
"Life is just beautiful and history will continue to develop," he wrote on Jan. 7.
"It's very cold today, but the weather is wonderful. I drove with my wife along the roads of the Han River," Kim said on Jan. 11. "I think the relationship with my wife is the best these days in all my life. I love and respect her. Without my wife, I would have nowhere and can't live till today. I praise every day we can live longer together in good health."
Kim criticized investigations into a bribery scandal allegedly involving the late Roh.
Before jumping to his death on a mountain near his home in Bongha, South Gyeongsang Province, on May 24, Roh and his family members were accused of having taken more than $6 million in bribes from Park Yeon-cha, former CEO of shoe-manufacturing firm Taekwang. Roh later apologized for the scandal.